The 2013 Broadway musical with songs by Cyndi Lauper about a struggling shoe factory saved by manufacturing fetish boots for drag queens, winning 6 Tony Awards and becoming an LGBTQ+ cultural touchstone of the early 2010s.
Lauper’s Broadway Triumph
“Kinky Boots” opened April 4, 2013, based on the 2005 film and true story. The musical follows Charlie Price inheriting his family’s failing Northampton shoe factory and partnering with drag queen Lola to create a niche market: high-heeled boots strong enough for men.
Cyndi Lauper became the first woman to win Best Original Score solo at the Tonys, with “Raise You Up / Just Be” becoming an anthem for acceptance and authenticity. Billy Porter’s performance as Lola earned him Best Actor in a Musical, launching his career toward “Pose” and red carpet iconoclasm.
The show’s message of tolerance and self-acceptance resonated during the early 2010s LGBTQ+ rights surge (2013 DOMA struck down, 2015 marriage equality). “Not My Father’s Son,” a duet between Charlie and Lola about parental disappointment, became a coming-out anthem.
The musical ran 6 years on Broadway (2,507 performances), grossing over $290 million. Its family-friendly approach to drag culture and gender nonconformity made it accessible to suburban audiences who might otherwise avoid queer themes - both a strength and a critique of its assimilationist politics.